Valve mechanism for water softeners



Aug. 31, 1943- H. L. BOWERS ETAL 2,323,323

VALVE MECHANISM FQR WATER SOFTENER'S Filed Aug. 5, 1959 63 6| 60 5e 65 57 s 74 v 55 59 FIG. 2 j

' 2s 44 5o 46 5.3 47 52 3o HERBERT L.BOWER5 AND ERIC PICK INVENTORS ATTO Patented Aug. 31 1943 g VALVE MECHANISM FOR WATER "SOFTENERS Herbert L. Bowers, Haworth, N. 1., and Eric Pick,

East Rockaway, N. Y., assignors to The Permutit Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1939, Serial No. 288,500

4 Claims. (01. 277-60) This invention relates to valve mechanism for water softeners; and it comprises a mechanism having two valves, two pipes leading to the mechanism, the valves being arranged to establish and interrupt communication between the two pipes, pressure responsive means arranged to-close one of said valves when the pressure in the first pipe exceeds the pressure in the second pipe and to open said one valve when the pressure in the second pipe exceeds the pressure in the first pipe, and a float arranged to open and close the other valve; all as more fully described hereinafter and as claimed.

In zeolite water softeners hard water is softened by passage through a bed of granular zeolite. When the soiteningcapacity of the bed is exhausted it is restored by a process known as re generation in which brine is passed through the bed and subsequently rinsed out to waste. The brine is usually stored in a tank partly filled with salt. Upon withdrawal of the quantity of brine used in regeneration water is added to this tank to dissolve some of the salt and thus form additional brine; An injector having its suction connected through a valve to the bottom of the brine tank is used to withdraw the brine in regenerating, and frequently a separate pipe, controlled by a float valve, is used to refill the brine tank with fresh water.

In the above described arrangement the brine stands continuously in the brine pipe, thus, in

time, causing corrosion. Furthermore, if either of the valves in the brine and refill pipes leaks the brine tank will eventually overflow, resulting in loss of salt.

' It is one object of our invention to provide a valve mechanism which requires but a single pipe to the brine tank for both withdrawing brine and refilling the tank;

Another object is to provide a mechanism which seals the pipe leading to the brin tank arcttively, thus preventing loss of salt; and

A further object is to provide a mechanism by which the brine tank pipe is flushed free of brine directly after the brine has been withdrawn, thus preventing corrosion.

August 25, 1936, to which reference is made for details ot construction of the water softening apaparatus not shown or described herein.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a water softening tank l0 and a brine tank H. In the water softening tank I!) i a bed of zeolite l2 supported on a layer of gravel l3, and in the brine tank II is a quantity of salt l4 resting on a gravel layer I5. On top of tank to is mounted a multiport valve 16 arranged for automatic operation by a mechanism I! provided with a starting switch l8.

A main l9 carrying water to be softened is connected to the multiport valve It by an inlet pipe 20 with a valve 2|, and an outlet pipe 22 with a valve 23. A valve 24 in main [9, as shown, permits by-pas'sing the water softening apparatus by opening valve 24 and closing valves 2| and 2 3. In normal operation valve 24 is closed and valves 2| and 23 are open. The multiport valve is furthermore connected with a pipe .25 within tank I0 and provided with a distributor 26 imbedded in gravel l3, with a waste pipe 21,-

and with a pipe 28 leading to a valve mechanism 29 which in turn is connected with the bottom of brine tank H by a pipe 3|] provided with strainer 3|. Within the brine tank H is a float 32 operatively connected with the valve mechanism 29 through a rod 33. The brine tank II is provided with a cover 34 and sleev 35 for the purpose oi. filling the tank with salt.

The valve mechanism 29, as shown in Fig. 2 has a body 40 and a cover 4] held together by screws 42 and enclosing a chamber which is divided by a diaphragm 43 into compartments '44 and 45. Pipe 28 is screwed into body 40 and is in communication with compartment 44 through a passage 48 and a valve port 41, and with compartment 45 through passages 48 and 49. A pair of dished plates 50 and 5|, and a valve disc 52 are centrally attached to diaphragm 43 by means of a. screw 53 and nut 54. Cover 4! ha a projection 55 to which a member 56 is attached by means of screws (not shown) forming a chamber which is divided by a. diaphragm, into compartments 58 and 59. In compartment 58 is a valve port 50 held in place by a threaded collar 6| with interposed gaskets 62 and 63. The valve port 60 communicates with compartment 45 through a passage '54. On the diaphragm 51 is mounted, as by vulcanizlng, a. valve disc 65. A

plunger 66 is located in compartment 59 and arranged for longitudinal movement by the float 32 through rod 33 and links 61, '68, 69 and 10, pivoted at 1|, 12, 13 and 14. The rod 33 is fitted to link 61, and links 61 and 68 are rigidly connected with each other at.15. The pipe 30 is screwed into body 40 and communicates through'passages 16 and 11 with compartments 44 and '58.

When the pressure in compartment 45 exceeds the pressure in compartment the diaphragm 43 moves downward and presses the disc 52' and 65 are preferably made of soft rubber such as the type known as pure gum. The port 60 may be made of porcelain. For the rest, the mechanism is constructed of suitable metal, such as brass, bronze or galvanized cast iron. The disc 52 is advantageously cemented to the dished plate 50.

Operation of the apparatus is as follows: When regeneration is required the mechanism I1 is started by manually moving starting switch It. Thereupon the mechanism operates valve H at a slow and steady rate. First softening is stopped and the zeolite is backwashed, as described in Patent 2,052,515 referred to above. Then the valve I6 is moved to brining position in which water is admitted to an injector within valve 16 creating a suction which is transmitted through pipe 28, and passages 48 and 49 to compartment 45. The pressure in compartment 45 becomes thus lower than the atmospheric pressure in compartment 4 4, so that the diaphragm 43 is lifted, raising the valve disc 52 and uncovering the valve port 41. Thereupon brine flows from brine tank ll through strainer 3i, pipe 30,

passage 16, port 41, passage 46 and pipe 28 to valve 96 wherein it is diluted by the water entering the injector and then flows into the top of tank in and through the zeolite l2, gravel l3, distributor 25,- pipe 25, valve l6, and pipe 21 to waste. As brine is being withdrawn from tank I I the float 32 drops and releases the pressure of disc 55 against port 60, without, however, opening the port which remains closed because of the partial vacuum communicated to port Ml from pipe 28 via chamber 45. The flow of brine is interrupted after a predetermined interval of time.

The valve l6 next moves to the rinse position. Water entering valve 16 passes into the top of tank l0, ,downwardly through zeolite I2 and gravel l3, and then through distributor 25, pipe 25, valve I6 and pipe 21 to waste, rinsing the zeolite free of salt. At the same time water under pressure is admitted through pipe 28 to the valve mechanism 29. There the flow is divided, a portion passing through passage 45, port 41, and passage 16 into pipe 30, and the remainder of the flow passing through passages 48 and 49, chamber 45, passage 64, portv 60 and passage 11 into pipe 30; the entire flow then passes down through pipe 30 and strainer 3i, refilling the brine tank II and at the same time flushing all brine from pipe 28, the valve mechanism 29, pipe 30, and strainer 3|, and also clearing the latter of any insoluble impurities collected thereon during brining. When the liquid in the brine tank rises to its normal level the float 32 through rod 33, links 61 to 10, and plunger 56, forces disc 65 against port 60. This closing of port 60 shuts 011 the outflow of water fromfchamber 45 through float 32, and of portr 41 by the water supply pressure trapped in chamber 45. Any leakage into the brine tank during normal operation of the water softening apparatus is thus efiectively prevented.

While we have shown our novel .valve mechanism with particular reference to zeolite water softening apparatus, it may, of course, be used for other purposes involving periodic withdrawal of liquid from a tank withsubsequent refilling of the tank. Modifications of the construction shown may'be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, and reference is, therefore, made to the following claims for a definition of the scope of our invention.

We claim: 1. A valve mechanism comprising a chamber, a

continuous diaphragm dividing said chamber into.

two compartments, a valve having a member arranged for positive movement by the diaphragm in both directions, a float, another valve arranged for actuation by said float, a pair of, pipes each selectively constructed and arranged to conduct liquid to and from the valve mechanism, means establishing free communication between one of said pipes, one of said compartments and both said valves, and other means establishing free communication between the other of said pipes, the other of said compartments and both said valves.

2. A valve mechanism comprising a chamber, a diaphragm dividing the chamber into two compartments, a valve port opening into one of said compartments, a valve disc mounted on the diaphragm and adapted to open and close the valve port upon movement of the diaphragm, a second chamber, a second diaphragm subdividing said second chamber into two compartments, a second valve port leading from. the second compartment of the first named chamber into one of the compartments of the second chamber, a movable member in the second compartment of the second chamber, a float adapted to move the movable phragm and arranged for movem "by the diaphragm in both directions to thejvalve port when the pressure in the second compartment exceed the pressure in said one compartment,

and to open the valve port when the pressure in municating with said one compartment, a pipe communicating with said second compartment,

each of said pipes serving at times as an inlet while the other pipe is serving as an outlet, a valve arranged to establish and interrupt communication between said pipes around said port, and a float arranged to actuate said valve,

4. A valve mechanism comprising two valves each by-passing the other, a pipe communicating with both said valves, another pipe communicating with both said valves, each of said pipesserving at times as an inlet whilethe other pipe is serving as an outlet, pressure responsive meansarranged to close one of said valves when the pressure in the first pipe exceeds the pressure in the second pipe and to open said one valve when the pressure in the second pipe exceeds the pres-o sure in the first pipe, and a float arranged to actuate said second valve independently or .said

1 first valve.

HERBERT L. BOWERS. ERIC PICK. 

